Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

"Hmm? You don't want to become an S-rank adventurer? Why is that?"

Despite the shock of the people around him, Guild Master McCarran didn't seem particularly surprised by my refusal to accept the nomination as an S-rank adventurer, and asked me the reason behind my refusal.

"I'm simply not interested. It's like attracting attention with a useless title."

(In these times when we're at war with the Demon King's army, isn't it crazy to become an S-rank adventurer, something even the Hero Helmios isn't?)

I didn't see any benefit, so I was going to refuse.

"Hm. But would you agree if I told you that you need the title of S-Rank adventurer?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"The one I appointed as an S-rank adventurer twenty years ago said he wasn't interested either. But when I told him the benefits of the title, he was convinced and accepted. Or rather, it seems that everyone reacts the same way when you recommend the title to them."

While everyone was surprised that I had turned down an opportunity to become an S-rank adventurer, Guild Master McCarran didn't move one eyebrow.

It meant that he approached me on the assumption that I would refuse.

"Is an S-rank adventurer title worth it?"

"Yes, that's right. You may have already noticed that I'm here today to recommend you to become an S-rank adventurer. First, let's talk about what an S-rank adventurer is."

Clearly, the reason the Guild Master came was to make me an S-rank adventurer.

Guild Master McCarran talked about what it meant to be an S-rank adventurer.

"The S-rank Adventurer is a title that is designed to honor the abilities and achievements of one of the best people in the world every few decades."

(I guess conquering the S-class dungeon shows my abilities, and providing information to the Adventurer's Guild is my achievement. But still, one person every few decades, is that even a functioning system?)

I thought about why I was recommended to be an S-rank adventurer.

"That sounds like a very small number. How many are there in the world right now?"

"Maybe two. Three if we count you. Mr. Allen."

Guild Master McCarran included me in the count and started to use honorifics.

"Maybe?"

"S-rank adventurers tend to be uninhibited. I haven't seen Basque for about ten years now."

"Mr. Basque?"

"He is the one I made an S-rank adventurer 20 years ago."

(An S-rank adventurer that even the Adventurers Guild can't grasp? Even so, I've never heard of S-rank adventurer Basque, in an era like this where the Demon King's army is about to destroy the world.)

I pondered the relationship between the Adventurer's Guild and S-Rank adventurers.

And I felt uncomfortable with the name Basque, which I had heard for the first time.

We were being invaded by the Demon King's army for the past century and no matter how many powerful people we had, it was not enough.

Twenty years ago, Helmios wasn't even active yet, and it was 5 years before I was born.

I had learnt about a number of Generals and Heroes who played an active role in the war against the Demon King's army at the Academy in history class, but I'd never heard of an S-rank adventurer Basque before.

"So Helmios doesn't fall into that category."

Rosetta entered in the middle of the conversation.

Four powerful parties had participated and with cooperation conquered the S-class dungeon.

Rosetta agreed that I was the only one of the four party leaders who met both ability and achievement to be an S-class adventurer.

It seemed that playing an active role in war against the Demon King's army didn't count as an accomplishment as an adventurer.

Guild Master McCarran nodded at Rosetta's words, so everyone who was listening to the conversation together seemed to be convinced as well.

"Mr. Allen, the S-rank adventurer is not just a title, but also authority."

"Authority? Authority over adventurers?"

I thought that adventurers and authority were incompatible, so it didn't ring a bell.

When I became an A-rank adventurer, I wasn't given any special privileges.

If I really had to say one, I would say that an A-rank adventurer had it easier to enter another country.

With the exception of a few countries, such as Rosenheim, there was an ease of entry, on the grounds that it would be helpful if skilled adventurers could operate in their country.

"Yes, an S-rank adventurer has the same authority as a Vice-Guild Master."

""Huh!""

Everyone in the room was so surprised that they were all startled and noisy.

"Vice-Guild Master!" The room was filled with that word.

S-rank adventurer was not just a title.

(Equal to the Vice-Guild Master, does that mean a higher position than the Branch Manager of Adventurers' Guilds in each country? That's a lot of authority.)

I knew that the hierarchical structure of the Adventurers' Guild, a global organization, was built in the shape of a pyramid with Guild Master McCarran at the top.

Leader of the Adventurers' Guild, Guild Master McCarran

Vice-Guild Masters, several Vice-Guild Masters who assist the Guild Master

Managers of the Adventurers' Guild of each country. There is only one of these in each of the major nations.

Branch Managers of Adventurers' Guild of a territory or big cities like Branch Manager Popocca, Teacher Karlova

(Thinking of it this way, Teacher Karlova, you have a muscular brain, but you're pretty great.)

I thought something rude about my former homeroom teacher.

Guild Master McCarran explained that if I were to become an S-rank adventurer, I would be given the authority to lead the Guild Masters and Branch Managers of each country.

''Let me assure you that the position of S-rank adventurer is more useful than that of Rosenheim's Chief of Staff. Rosenheim doesn't have many diplomatic relations with many countries."

Guild Master McCarran obviously knew who I was affiliated with.

(Well, I've noticed that. I guess only countries with diplomatic relations and major powers would be deterred by that title.)

Rosenheim had diplomatic relations with few other countries.

It's a valid position for countries with diplomatic relations, or even the Giamut or Bakius Empires, but for countries without diplomatic relations, Chief of Staff was a position that they didn't care about.

"If I want to continue to operate freely in the world in the future, then will the status of S-rank adventurer be valid?"

"That's what I mean. If you want to continue adventuring, you'd better keep it."

I rethought my decision after hearing that much.

(Mhmm, not a bad deal. It's more like a system designed for people like me who want to adventure. It's an Adventurer's Guild, so there's that.)

I was satisfied with what I had heard so far from Guild Master McCarran.

"If Popocca and Karlova had reported it sooner, I wouldn't have had to rush over here in my old age."

He must have been asking Branch Manager Popocca and Teacher Karlova a lot of questions about me earlier.

"That being said, it's impossible ... no ..., it's nothing...."

"Oh, dear."

Karlova tries to speak her mind and say that she doesn't want to be unreasonable, but Guild Master McCarran glares at her and forces her to be respectful.

"Does the S-rank adventurer have some kind of troublesome rules? For example, having to attend a meeting once a month?"

(I don't want to miss hunting Iron Golems.)

I asked Guild Master McCarran if there were such duties.

"Nothing. I have not heard from the man who I appointed as an S-rank adventurer 20 years ago but he is still an S-rank adventurer. I hope you're not going to disappear, Mr. Allen."

There were no special restrictions placed on my actions.

In addition, it seemed that I would have a voice in the Five Continents Alliance.

I would be in a position to influence countries in terms of guidance and strategy in defeating magical beasts.

I would just be asked to help the Adventurers' Guild some time if I didn't disappear.

Hearing that much, Helmios chuckled as I started to gauge the value of an "S-rank Adventurer".

(I see...to give those who go beyond the bounds of common sense the rights they deserve...)

I finally understood the meaning of having S-rank adventurers.

Perhaps the Adventurers' Guild didn't want people like Helmios and Admiral Galara who had an official title in their country with the S-rank adventurer title.

I wanted power, but I wanted to live free as well.

No Nobility, No Royalty, No Nation.

I understood that someone who had overwhelming power and didn't want to be tied down got the title "S-rank Adventurer".

The powerless will probably be brought to their knees by the great power that is the world, even if they think this way.

Even if a person is several to dozens of times more powerful than a normal person, that level of power difference can be managed by the power of a country and Royalty or by sheer numbers.

But if you gain hundreds or thousands of times more powerful than a normal person, surely those with power will clash with the common sense and discipline of the world.

The title of S-rank Adventurer is what gave such insane existences a minimal relationship with the world.

I also understood why Guild Master McCarran came so soon after hearing that the S-class dungeon had been conquered.

I was supposed to meet the Emperor of the Bakius Empire soon.

And opportunities to meet Royalty and Nobility would only increase in the future.

The title "S-rank adventurer" was a sort of deterrent to those powerful figures to not get in conflicts with very powerful figures.

If a person had rights equivalent to a Vice-Guild Master, one would have to pay a reasonable price if they treated that person lightly.

If you are a medium-sized nation or a small country, you can avoid unnecessary trouble by simply saying, "We're pulling the Adventurers' Guild out of the country."

(It is more convenient than dealing with the world from now on as one of the four parties that conquered the S-class dungeon. But ff they think I'm half-baked and cause unnecessary trouble...)

I started to weigh the losses as well.

I felt like I had got the answer when...

"Hey! Come on, you've got to make up your mind!

As I was about to reach the conclusion, Cecile spoke up.

"What's up, Cecile?"

"I'd feel better if my party leader was an S-rank adventurer!"

"Yes, I suppose so."

"S-rank adventurers are cool!"

Sophie and Kurena agreed with Cecile's words.

The answer was so clear that I wondered what the conversation with Guild Master McCarran had been all about.

"... I see. It doesn't sound too bad. Thank you for your concern."

I decided to take the title of S-rank adventurer.

"Yes. Then take it."

It seems that the Guild Master had prepared my Adventurers Card beforehand.

The gold-colored Adventurer's Card brought by the Adventurer's Guild representative simply had the letter "S" carved in it.

""Oh!""

My friends peeked in and gazed at the shiny S-rank Adventurer Card as if they were devouring it.

''Alright. This means we should celebrate Allen's inauguration as an S-rank adventurer."

"No, thank you."

I declined Admiral Galara's congratulations.

Because it was just going to be the usual, drink and make noise.

"Don't say that. Ha-ha!"

With that, Admiral Galara grabbed Allen by the shoulders, not to let him go.

Allen sighed as he wondered if the title of "S-rank Adventurer" would not be applicable in a situation like this.